Community Join Hands to Orchestrate

Various sectors in the Hong Kong community have demonstrated their sense of solidarity by joining hands to orchestrate an unprecedented campaign to boost Hong Kong people’s confidence in the face of the current economic downturn.

The confidence building campaign entitled “Hong Kong Together” is a community-led effort to instill public confidence while uniting community members. Participating sectors include business, education, hotel, labour, media, movie and entertainment, retail, restaurant, sports, tourism and the 18 districts throughout the territory.

Mr. George Yuen, Convenor of the “Hong Kong Together” Campaign Joint Working Committee and Chief Executive of the Better Hong Kong Foundation, which helped develop the campaign concept, said: “This Campaign is uniting employees and employers, students and teachers, citizens and government officials – essentially the whole community – to show their support for Hong Kong and to demonstrate their faith in Hong Kong. The people of Hong Kong are well-known for our resilience. It is this perseverance and unique quality that has helped us weather through challenging times in the past. No doubt, we will see ourselves through the current challenges together.

“As the Chief Executive Mr Tung Chee-hwa said in this year’s Policy Address, one of the key factors in determining full economic recovery in Hong Kong is increased public confidence. The ‘Hong Kong Together‘ Campaign aims at encouraging a sense of togetherness among the public as well as fostering the community spirit. We hope to show that Hong Kong is as alive as ever and that Hong Kong people are adamant that we shall overcome whatever difficulties lying ahead of us,” said Mr Yuen.

A Joint Working Committee of the “Hong Kong Together” Campaign comprising representatives from all participating sectors has been formed to steer and co-ordinate activities under this Campaign.

A kick-off ceremony to be broadcast live by the major local electronic media to inaugurate the Campaign will be held at 2 p.m. on December 6 (Sunday) at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Happy Valley Racecourse. After the launch, a series of Campaign activities have been scheduled.

The education sector will organise an essay competition among secondary school students and a painting competition among primary school students to enhance students’ civic spirit and awareness. The winners of some 20 students from the secondary schools will be awarded a scholarship to take a four-week course at the Qinghua University in Beijing in August 1999. Thirty winners from the drawing competition will be selected for a one-day tour to Hong Kong major landmarks.

Several hundred restaurants have pledged their support to the Campaign by organising lucky draws and a series of theme promotions such as “The Appreciation of Delicious Dishes” and “The Best Chinese Cuisine in Hong Kong”. Customers dining at participating restaurants will be given free dishes upon presentation of coupons.

The labour sector will organise job fairs featuring vacancy opportunities of various large corporations early next year to be followed by a seminar on “The Importance of Harmonious Relations between Employers and Employees.” Also, a series of retraining programmes will be organised to outreach the job-seekers.

The business sector will hold the “33rd Hong Kong Products Expo” from December 18, 1998 to January 11, 1999 at the Tamar Site in Central. An “SMEs Week” will be held with the Industry Department in early February 1999.

In the retail sector, some 5,000 retail outlets including chain supermarkets, boutiques, department stores and cafes will participate in a joint promotion entitled “Hong Kong Shopping Spree” organised by the Hong Kong Retail Management Association together with the Hong Kong Tourist Association to boost Hong Kong people’s confidence and stimulate consumption. In addition, all major shopping malls have expressed support to the Campaign by joining hands in organising activities in their respective shopping malls to help promote the message of the Campaign.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club has also pledged support for the Campaign through the racing sports by organising the “Hong Kong Together” Cup in January 17, 1999.

The Homes Affairs Department, together with the 18 districts, will organise more than 90 programmes for the community to demonstrate solidarity.

In the sports sector, a wall-painting event to be participated by thousands of students will be held today at the Hong Kong Sports Institute’s spectator stand to demonstrate support for the Hong Kong athletes before they set off to Bangkok for the Asian Games. Sector representatives and the “Hong Kong Together” Campaign Joint Working Committee will also be there to cheer the athletes.

“We hope that once the Campaign begins, it will gain momentum and grow. We are already planning activities for summer next year. Our aim is to keep this dynamic community spirit going. So long as we have confidence in ourselves, it will certainly help our economy flourish again,” said Mr Yuen.

 

End

“Hong Kong Together” is a community-led confidence building campaign aimed at uniting all sectors of our community and motivating Hong Kong people to work together to instill public confidence. This initiative is to encourage public togetherness as well as to engender much-valued civic spirit in the community. The Better Hong Kong Foundation together with representatives from 11 sectors in the community form the Joint Working Committee steering the Campaign.